Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Yeah, I said it — and I’ll stand by it. I know the dust hasn’t even settled on the end of 2025, nor have we named our editor’s choice picks for phone of the year, but I already know what the best phone of next year will be. It’s going to be the Google Pixel 11, and I don’t think there’s much you can do to convince me otherwise.
On the one hand, I think it’s good news for Google. I really, truly believe that the Pixel is in its best position in several years, with a steadily improving chipset and cameras that continue to get smarter. The real reason I’m willing to make this declaration so early, though, is that I think everyone else is a mess. Here’s why I think Google can simply coast to greatness while everyone else spins their wheels.
Samsung is stuck, and OnePlus is in reverse
Tushar Mehta / Android Authority Oplus_20119584
Remember, just a few months ago, when it seemed like Samsung was set to overhaul its Galaxy S26 lineup? The Plus was set to become the Edge, and the base model was going to adopt a Pro moniker to complement the already well-rounded Galaxy S26 Ultra. For once, it seemed like Samsung had significant changes in the works. Then, the leaks began to flow.
Slowly but surely, the Galaxy S26 Pro took shape — or rather, a distinct lack thereof. Instead of picking up upgrades that we might expect to go with its new name, it began to sound like little more than a base Galaxy S25 with a few tweaks. While the widely expected larger battery is a positive sign, the same old, same old cameras and thoroughly underwhelming 25W wired charging speeds are anything but pro-grade.
The Galaxy S26 series looks like more of the same, and the OnePlus 15 is neither a killer flagship nor a flagship killer.
Now, it doesn’t even matter. Samsung has already ditched the Pro branding, and it’s walking back on plans for the Galaxy S26 Edge, too. In its place? Get ready for the Galaxy S26 Plus. And, by ‘get ready for,’ I mean take another look at the Galaxy S25 Plus, because it seems that next year’s phone will be almost identical to the one from early 2025, according to this new leak. If that leak proves true, you can probably just reread our Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus review in early 2026, too, because there won’t be much need to write a new one.
And then, there’s OnePlus. Sure, its OnePlus 15 was the first to bring Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset to market, but it’s hardly been smooth sailing. The ending of its partnership with Hasselblad and downgrade in sensor sizes has knocked the overall camera experience back a step, and the squared-off, stone-textured design has erased just a little of the OnePlus personality we (or at least I) previously loved so much.
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